The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 126

LIRA 

I froze the moment the door shut behind him.

The sound echoed far too loudly in the room, like something final, something sealing me in.

Cassian stood there, back against the door for a second, his hand still resting on the wood as though he needed it to steady himself. His chest rose and fell, slow, controlled, but I could see it, the tension coiled tight beneath his skin.

And then his eyes lifted to mine.

Not soft.

Not confused.

“Start talking, Lira.”

My throat went dry.

Behind me, I heard the faintest scrape from beneath the bed, Luna shifting, trying to make herself smaller. I didn’t dare look down.

“I—” My voice faltered. I swallowed hard. “I can explain.”

“Then do it.”

He pushed himself off the door and stepped further into the room, each movement measured, deliberate. Like if he moved too fast, something would shatter.

“Now.”

I clenched my hands together to stop them from trembling.

Think.

Choose carefully.

Tell enough truth to survive.

Not enough to destroy everything.

“Remember, she… came to me,” I said finally, my voice quiet. “The dragon.”

Cassian’s jaw tightened.

“Which dragon?”

“The one beneath the castle,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “I didn’t know what she was at first. I just… heard her. In my head.”

His eyes flickered, recognition, frustration, something darker.

“You expect me to believe that? How does that have to do with the hatchling in your room.” 

“It’s the truth. I’m getting there…” 

“Is it?” he snapped. “Because from where I stand, you’ve done nothing but lie to me since the moment we met. You’ve lied ever since you entered this palace.” 

The words hit harder than I expected.

I flinched.

“I didn’t lie about everything,” I said quickly.

“Just the important parts? The things you’d rather not tell me?” he shot back.

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

I forced myself to keep going.

“She called to me,” I said, softer now. “Weeks ago. I didn’t understand it. I thought I was losing my mind.”

Cassian’s eyes searched mine, as if trying to peel back every layer.

“And you never told me?”

“Because I was afraid,” I said, and that part, at least, was true. “Of her. Of what it meant. Of what youwould do if you knew.”

His expression darkened.

“You mean what I should have done.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.

“And the hatchling?” he asked. “That…” he gestured toward the bed “…thing under there. How does that fit into your little story?”

My heart pounded.

Careful.

“She left me the hatchling,” I said.

Cassian went still.

“What?”

“The dragon,” I continued, forcing the words out steadily. “She wanted me to hold on to the hatchling. She didn’t tell me why..”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said coldly. “How did it hatch?”

If I told him that, I’d have to tell him that I entered the vault and stole the egg in the first place. I quickly decided against that. 

“I don’t know,” I said quickly.

A lie.

A necessary one.

“It just… did. I woke up one night and she was there. And she, Luna, was there.”

Cassian stared at me for a long moment.

“You expect me to believe this all just… happened to you?” he asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“Convenient.”

“It’s not convenient!” I snapped, frustration finally breaking through. “Do you think I asked for this? Do you think I wanted a dragon hidden in my room, risking my life every second of every day?”

He didn’t answer.

Because he didn’t know.

Because part of him believed me.

And part of him didn’t.

“The dragon, she asked for your blood, didn’t she?” he said suddenly.

My breath caught.

Too close. Did he know about the ritual? About me taking his blood?

“I… don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t lie to me, Lira,” he said sharply. “Not now.”

“I’m not…” 

“Enough!”

The word cracked through the room like a whip.

I fell silent.

Cassian stepped closer, his eyes blazing now, not just anger, but something deeper. Hurt. Betrayal.

“I warned you,” he said, his voice low. “I told you to stay away from that thing beneath the castle.”

“I tried to!”

“And yet you kept going back,” he countered. “You kept doing the dragon’s bidding.”

I had no answer to that.

Because he was right.

“I was trying to understand,” I said weakly.

“At my expense?” he asked.

The question cut deeper than anything else he’d said.

I looked away.

That was answer enough.

He let out a bitter laugh.

“Unbelievable.”

“Cassian…” 

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No more half-truths. No more excuses.”

His voice dropped, quieter now. Heavier.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

I swallowed.

“Yes.”

“You’ve hidden a dragon inside the palace,” he continued. “You’ve been in contact with a creature my family has kept sealed for generations. And you’ve done it all behind my back.”

“I didn’t…” 

“You’ve put me in an impossible position,” he said, cutting me off.

His gaze locked onto mine, intense, unrelenting.

“If I report this,” he said, “you’re dead. There won’t even be a trial.”

My stomach dropped.

“And if I don’t…” His jaw tightened. “Then I’m committing treason against the crown!” 

The word hung in the air between us.

I stepped closer to him, my voice trembling despite my efforts.

“Please,” I whispered. “Cassian, please. Don’t tell anyone about this.”

He looked at me like he didn’t recognize me.

“Give me one reason,” he said.

“Please, just don’t,” I said, desperation creeping in.

“That’s not enough.”

“Because I trust you.”

“Do you really?” he challenged. “Because from where I stand, you trust me just enough to lie to me.”

I winced.

“Because I had no choice,” I said softly.

“There’s always a choice.”

“Not for me,” I whispered.

Something flickered in his expression.

Something softer.

Dangerous.

“I’m trying to protect you,” he said, almost to himself.

“And I’m only trying to survive,” I replied.

Our eyes locked.

For a moment, everything else disappeared.

The lies.

The secrets.

The war between us.

And then…. 

The palace bells rang.

Loud and relentless. 

Cassian stiffened instantly.

“No…” he muttered.

“No…” he muttered.

The bells rang again.

And again.

A signal.

A warning.

A command.

“They know,” he said, his voice tight. “My father must have ordered it.”

My blood ran cold.

“Know what?”

“That there’s a dragon hatchling in the palace.”

The words hit like a blow.

Footsteps echoed faintly in the corridor outside.

Voices.

Guards.

Movement.

“They’re going to search every room. Every corner. My father won’t stop until he finds that dragon.” Cassian said, already thinking, already moving.

His eyes snapped back to me.

“Where is it?”

I hesitated.

“Lira.”

Slowly, I turned toward the bed.

“Luna,” I called softly.

There was a pause.

Then a small white head peeked out from beneath the bed, silver eyes glinting in the dim light.

Cassian inhaled sharply.

Even now, seeing her fully, properly, it still stunned him.

“She’s…” he murmured.

“Beautiful,” I finished quietly.

Luna padded out hesitantly, her gaze flicking between us.

Then she came to me.

Always to me.

Cassian watched the interaction closely.

“She’s already bonded to you,” he said.

I didn’t deny it.

The bells kept ringing.

Closer now.

Urgency closing in.

Cassian stepped forward.

“Give her to me.”